


The Secrets of the Universe Can't be Found in a Grocery Store

by Blue_wire13



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, College AU, M/M, Mild Angst, SPACE theme, Songfic, aesthetic, astrology and zodiac, astronomy majors
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-24
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-26 14:43:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9905876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_wire13/pseuds/Blue_wire13
Summary: Keith loathes the grocery store but a certain bag boy who dances while he mops the aisles has Keith a little more willing to brave the slow walkers and loud talkers that seem to perpetuate super markets.





	1. 10:37

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys!! I am absolutely in love with this idea and I really hope you guys like it too! Space will be the underlying theme here and I am going to base each chapter off of a song I think represents the mood. You can choose to listen to the song while you read or not the choice is yours:) The chapter song this time is 10:37 by Beach House. It's an amazing song and I definitely recommend checking it out.

10:37

-Chances are  
Like night disappeared  
Caught in the atmosphere  
Where you go, she casts no shadow  
Still you know she's near-

Keith loathed the grocery store. With a burning passion. There was always a mother trying and failing to quiet her crying toddler, the person who was always talking too loudly on their cellphone, and the really, really, really slow walker.

Keith hated the grocery store.

Unfortunately, he found himself standing outside of the local supermarket. He was desperately low on food in his apartment and he had just been paid the day before so he figured now was as good of a time as any to stock up. Shiro had also lent him his car to get the groceries back to his apartment since Keith's motorcycle wasn't exactly convenient for this type of thing.

He grabbed a basket and headed inside, cursing his existence.

After pushing his cart around for twenty minutes trying to find all the things Shiro had put on a list in his phone, Keith was ready to give up. He could not, for the life of him, find the instant ramen noodles.

To make matters worse, he promised himself he wouldn't go to the liquor aisle until he got all his food items squared away. He was three seconds away from asking for help from an employee. That's how desperate he was. He would risk human interaction!

He turned down an aisle at the back of the store, hoping for the best, when he saw an employee mopping. He wasn't listening to music, but he was still dancing and singing. He swayed his hips as he mopped and Keith couldn't hold back the small laugh that escaped him.

The employee turned around to face Keith, and his laugh died off as he realized how beautiful this guy was. He had blue eyes, but his skin was a bronze tan. His name tag read: Lance.

"Hi!" He greeted cheerily, as if there was nothing wrong with him dancing in the middle of the aisle while cleaning. "Can I help you find something?"

Suddenly Keith felt self conscious. Instant ramen noodles wasn't a purchase to be most proud of. He could feel his cheeks warming and his face was probably as red as his jacket.

"Uhh...I'm just..looking for the instant ramen."

"College huh?" Lance laughed. "It's on the other side of the store. I'll take you there." Lance abandoned the mop inside the cleaning bucket and Keith obediently followed him.

"What university do you go to?" Lance asked.

"I don't go to university." Keith mumbled. He didn't want to tell this hot stranger he'd just met that he had dropped out.

"Oh. I could've sworn I've seen you around Garrison University. That's were I go." Lance said this all with a smile, turning back to make sure Keith was keeping up all right.

"What's your major?" Keith asked, trying to divert the topic back to Lance.

"Astronomy. I love space! It's so vast and beautiful." He paused for a minute but quickly resumed talking. "Hey did you know that NASA discovered seven new planets a few days ago. Three of them can inhabit life!"

Keith got the feeling Lance was the type of person who never stopped talking. Rather than becoming annoyed however, Keith relaxed to Lance's space chatter as they finally arrived at the correct aisle.

"Well, here's the ramen."

"Yea uh...thanks for the help." Keith felt his face heating again. God he was so gay. Lord help him. This boy was going to kill him.

"No problem." And with that Lance was whistling and sauntering away. Keith tried to not be disappointed.

Before Lance could turn the corner and disappear forever however, Keith cried out. "Wait!" Lance paused. "I need the alcohol asile too."

"Oh. I can take you there too."

Keith quickly grabbed all the ramen he needed and then pushed his cart to follow Lance.

They wove through more aisles and Keith was now thinking on overtime to get this boys number. He actually knew where the liquor aisle was and as it grew closer and closer he panicked more and more.

"Here we are." Lance said.

Keith mumbled something incoherent and began to grab various bottles of vodka. He had planned on buying just one but now he was trying to stall for time. Something his wallet would kill him for later.

"Do you remember where the checkout stands are too?" Lance teased.

"Y-yea." Keith grumbled. 'Lord just help me this once.' He silently prayed.

He and Lance headed to the checkout together despite all of Lance's teasing and he even bagged Keith's groceries.

"Help out to your car?"

"Yes please." Keith said quickly before he could get too embarrassed.

The walk through the parking lot was awkwardly silent until they arrived at Shiro's car. It was a beat up old black BMW from 1990 and the cassette player inside of it was borderline functioning despite Shiro forking out the money for new speakers.

"Sick ride." Lance joked. He said it light heartedly however and the comment had no real heat behind it. Despite this, Keith found himself blushing again.

"Uh, it's a friends actually. I ride a motorcycle."

At that information Lance whistled. They began to unpack the groceries quickly, finishing in no time with two sets of hands to help.

"Take me for a ride sometime?"

Keith's eyes went wide and he looked up lightning fast from where he was closing the trunk but Lance was already walking back to the store.

"See you around pretty boy!" Lance called.

Keith whipped his head around to make sure no one had heard the comment but the parking lot was empty save for an old lady pushing her cart to her car.

-

"And god Shiro he said 'take me for a ride sometime'. Does that mean he's interested or does he just want to see the bike?"

Shiro and Keith were driving back to Keith's apartment after Keith had picked up Shiro from work. The groceries still sat packed away in the trunk.

"You should go for it. He sounds nice. I particularly like the dancing part."

"Oh my god." Keith banging his head repeatedly on the steering wheel as they sat at a red light.

"Come on. Ask for his number next time you see him."

"That's just it though. I HATE the grocery store. I never want to go back there again."

"Stop being dramatic Keith. It's not that bad. Just go buy a pack of gum or something. Honestly your body will probably benefit if you cooked a bit more. Eating out all the time isn't good."

"Okay DAD." Keith pouted as the light turned green, knowing that Shiro was right.

"How many bottles of vodka did you buy again?"

"Shut up."

-

Keith lay in bed staring at his phone. He knew he should just do it. He shouldn't be thinking this hard. But he just couldn't.

Pidge had been in one of his old math classes and he knew that they were also majoring in astronomy. They could know Lance, but Keith hadn't texted Pidge in ages. Once he dropped out of the engineering program he lost touch with a lot of people. Shiro was the only person he let really stick around.

Sighing heavily he clicked on Pidge's name in his phones messenger app.

Keith: hey Pidge it's Keith. I was wondering if you by chance knew a kid named Lance. Tall, brown hair, blue eyes.

He pushed send and then checked the time. It was 10:37. He winced a bit internally. It was a bit late to be sending a random text out of the blue to someone you hadn't talked to in a while.

Despite the time, his phone buzzed within the minute with a reply from Pidge.

Pidge: this happen to be the hoe you're looking for?

Attached was a picture of Lance in what appeared to be their apartment. He was concentrating hard as he lowered the needle onto a record. The entire apartment seemed to be covered in crystals, tapestries, and other assorted ascetic items.

Keith balked. He was hoping Pidge would know Lance. He didn't expect them to live in the same apartment.

Keith: yea that's him.

Keith waited a moment before deciding to go out on a limb.

Keith: you guys live together?

Pidge: yea along with our buddy Hunk. How do you, Keith Kogane, have the misfortune of knowing our Lance?

Keith: I met him at the grocery store today

Pidge: oh. I see.

Keith didn't know what to make of that vague text. He didn't know if it was positive or negative but before he could decide Pidge sent another message.

Pidge: do you want to meet up for coffee tomorrow? I feel like I haven't seen your ass in ages.

Keith: sure, what time?

Pidge: how does 1:30 sound?

Keith: perfect

He closed his phone and set it onto the nightstand next to his bed. Keith turned his gaze to his own apartment. It could be called dingy, at best. He'd covered the gross paint chipped walls with band posters as best he could but it still looked like it belonged to an angsty teenager who had taken a sledgehammer to parts of the wall.

It was cheap though and the landlord allowed Keith to keep his albino miniature ball python so he had minimal complaints.

Turning out the lights he closed his eyes and willed sleep to come. He tried to push all images of Lance's furrowed brow as he lowered the record needle out of his mind. After a strenuous ten minutes he picked up his phone again and saved the picture of Lance Pidge had sent him. He sighed heavily and then lay down for real this time. He closed his eyes and sighed once more internally. 

He was so gay. 


	2. See Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! Your comments are all so amazing:) the song for this chapter is See Me by Tei Shi. I hope you enjoy

See Me

\- I gather every daisy

I jump through hoops and countries 

Cover my tracks in the breeze

all in a silent plea

that you'll, see me-

 

Keith woke up to the incessant blaring of his alarm. After fumbling around in the dark he finally shut the damn thing off. Grumbling beneath his breath he stood.

He only had one class that morning but he had promised Allura that he would attend her hot yoga class as well. That gave him just enough time to get home and clean up before meeting Pidge at 1:30.

Teaching classes at Coran's gym was a fun job and one Keith thoroughly enjoyed. He'd always be grateful to Shiro for getting the job for him. He and Shiro taught kickboxing while Allura taught her various yoga classes. All in all it was a fun and laid back workplace.

Keith made his way to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of instant coffee. He took two sips before deeming it just as disgusting as the day before and pouring it down the sink.

He packed his backpack of workout clothes quickly before slipping on his usually jeans and red leather jacket. Grabbing his helmet from its spot by the door he headed out to his apartments parking lot.

Keith's red Honda cbr600 sat waiting for him and as he revved up the bike he breathed in the morning air. He pulled his helmet on and started for the gym.

-

As Keith walked out of Allura's yoga class he sighed. Hot yoga was not his thing but he'd do anything for Allura. Almost anyone would do anything for Allura.

"Do you want to go grab some lunch?" Shiro asked. He had another class but his break was an hour and a half long.

"I can't actually. I'm meeting Pidge for coffee." Keith said guiltily as they headed to the employee showers.

"Pidge? The Pidge from your math class last year?"

"Yea."

Shiro hummed in happy acknowledgment before they separated to hurriedly clean off. He hadn't seen Keith interact with anyone besides Allura, Coran, and himself in a long time.

-

Keith bit his lip nervously as he stepped out the gym, clean and dressed in normal street wear. Pidge's text to meet for coffee had been a little sudden and Keith wasn't sure what to expect.

He rode a little too fast to the coffee shop, nerves making him heavy handed on the throttle. When he walked in he immediately spotted Pidge working on their laptop, three empty coffee cups already littering the table.

"Hi Pidge." Keith sat down slowly, trying to play off his nerves.

"Hey Keith long time no fucking see." Pidge replied light heartedly.

"So..." Keith didn't get the chance to finish his awkward sentence.

"So Lance. You met him at the grocery store where he works?"

"Yea..." Keith replied hesitantly. He didn't know where Pidge was going with this.

"You get his number? You know...in case you forget where the ramen noodles are again."

Keith groaned, hiding his face in his hands. Did Lance tell everyone? After what seemed like too long of a period of embarrassment Keith answered. "No I didn't. That's....that's why I texted you."

"Mmhmm." Pidge hummed happily. "And you want his number...purely for friendship reasons."

"Y-Yea." Keith couldn't keep the crack out of his voice on that one and he would deny it until the day he died.

"Right." Pidge swiped Keith's phone from where it was sitting on the table and began inputting Lance's number into it. "And because I know how chicken shit you are...." Pidge began typing a text.

"H-hey!" Keith tried to grab his phone but Pidge held it just out of reach across the table. Keith was just about to get up but Pidge handed the phone back, the damage done.

"What did you say?" Keith worriedly searched his recent messages and let out another groan when he saw Pidge had sent a text to Lance's newly added number.

Keith: Hey Lance it's Keith, the guy from the grocery store. Pidge gave me your number. Want to hang out sometime?

"Oh my god Pidge what the hell?"

"What? I'm speeding up the process. No one likes to watch pining...for long."

"Pining?!"

"Oh yea sorry um...friendship..ing?" Pidge paused. "So if you're going to be talking to our Lancelot...I have a few questions."

Keith froze. He hated questions. Suddenly their light conversation had taken a heavy turn and even though Pidge probably meant no harm Keith felt trapped.

At Keith's expression Pidge stopped. "Uh Keith? Earth to Keith?" But Keith wasn't listening to Pidge anymore. He was back in the police station all those years ago, back when his feet didn't reach the floor when he sat in chairs.

The policemen were staring down at him with horror in their eyes, worse than the horror were the ones who looked at him with pity. He could hear their whispers.

"-orphan now."

"-both parents killed on impact."

"We have a few questions."

"KEITH!"

He snapped to attention to see Pidge a few inches from his face, leaning across the table over their laptop.

"Sorry. I like zoned out." It was an excuse so well used by him he basically breathed it out on instinct.

"Right.." Pidge said, obviously not entirely believing his lie. "Anyway I was gonna ask if you were free this Friday."

"What? Um..yea. Yea I'm free."

"Great. It's game night and Mario go cart is so much better with four players."

"I'll tell Lance to text you the address." Pidge began packing up their things and it took Keith a solid five seconds to realize they were leaving.

"Wait-uh."

"Sorry, I gotta get to my next class. Lance is a fast texter though, he should've already responded." Pidge called as they left.

Sure enough when Keith pulled out his phone to check there was a text waiting for him.

Lance: pretty boy! Pidget mentioned you. Game night is Friday at our apartment if you're down?

Keith: yea sure what's the address?

Lance sent him the address and Keith felt his stomach flutter a bit as he left the coffee shop. It was only Wednesday which meant he had a full day to wait until Friday.

In Keith world this was a good thing and a bad thing. Bad because he wanted to see Lance again. Good because it gave him time to mentally prepare himself for seeing Lance again. He sighed before sliding on his helmet.

He was so fucked. 

-

"Lance!" Hunk called. "Lance!"

"Sorry sorry! I'm coming!" Lance called as he raced out of the bathroom in only a towel. He was supposed to be helping Hunk bake cookies and instead he'd ended up taking a very impromptu bath. He'd wandered into the bathroom to go pee and ended up eyeing the bag of freshly bought products from LUSH. From there he'd ended up using both a bath bomb and a bubble bar.

As he crashed into their kitchen he saw Hunk had already managed to get both batches of cookies out alone.

"Jesus Lance. Again?" Hunk said exasperated, eyeing the glitter dusting Lance's bronze skin. "I swear if you could live in the bathtub you would."

"Hey, I need my beauty products. A face this nice needs to be pampered."

Hunk just rolled his eyes, used to Lance's extravagance. Lance grabbed a cookie, ignoring how hot it was before popping it into his mouth.

"So where's our little Pidget by the way?"

"Ah, said they were going to the coffee place down the street to study. Something about meeting a friend."

"A friend?! A friend who isn't us? Oh gods we've been replaced Hunk!" Lance wailed as he flung himself dramatically onto the counter.

"Shut up." Pidge's voice rang through the apartment as they entered, throwing their book bag down by the door.

"Pidgeyyyyy, who could you have possibly been meeting with? Lance asked.

"Keith. I met him in math last year."

"Wait...Keith? From the grocery store?"

"Yea." Pidge said, taking a cookie from Hunk's ever growing pile.

"Wait, he told me he didn't go to university."

Pidge froze at this. "What?"

"He couldn't have graduated right? He was in the same math as you last year."

"Maybe he was behind on credits?" Hunk offered.

"Hmm," Pidge took a handful of cookies before running to the door and grabbing their book bag. "I'm going to work on homework don't bug me!" Their voice carried down the hall as they sprinted to their room. Usually when Pidge told Hunk and Lance explicitly to not bother them it meant they were going to be searching for something on the dark web.

"What do you think Pidge is hacking into this time?" Lance laughed.

"Just pray it isn't the university system again." Hunk sighed. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading:) comments and feedback are greatly appreciated


	3. Oblivion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! The song for this chapter is Oblivion by Grimes. I love this artist and her music is just such a Spacey vibe I love it. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter!! Thank you for all your kind comments and thank you for 50 kudos! Means a lot:)

Oblivion

-Another walk about, after dark  
It's my point of view  
If someone could break your neck  
Coming up behind you always coming and you'd never have a clue-

  
Keith had his hand raised to knock on Pidge's apartment door but he hadn't moved a muscle. He was so nervous. The door flying open startled him back a few steps and he looked down and then to the side guiltily.

"Keith! Hey buddy I was just on my way out to get takeout for the gang. Want something?" Hunk asked, as if Keith hesitating outside of his door was normal.

"Um...n-no I'm fine." Keith was a bit hungry but he didn't want to trouble Hunk into picking up food for him as well.

"You sure?" Hunk asked, juggling his car keys, phone, and a few other various items as he made his way past Keith in the doorway.

"Yea I'm good."

"Alright I'll be back soon." Hunk called as he made his way down the hall and to the elevator. Keith sighed and turned towards the open door.

He hesitantly walked in but was spared awkwardly calling hello when Pidge burst into his line of sight. They dragged him into the center of the living room where Lance was sitting on the floor pouting. Sitting onto the couch, he and Pidge grabbed controllers.

"Keith! You have to tell Lance he's being dumb."

"Am not!" Lance said stubbornly.

"Uh..." Keith didn't know what to say. He didn't want to tread on anyone's toes and he had no idea what the situation was.

"Lance said he deserves to play as Yoshi because he's more important but everyone knows I am most important and my ascetic also fits better with Yoshi." Pidge explained, as if this made all the sense in the world.

"Oh." Was all Keith could manage.

"He's adorable so clearly I have to be Yoshi because I am adorable." Lance concluded.

Keith watched as Lance and Pidge continued their bickering but the argument only lasted another few minutes before Pidge won by staring at Lance.

"Fine." Lance huffed. "I'll just be Rosalina. She's pretty too. Like me."

Keith blushed. Lance's comments were actually going to kill him.

"Rosalina? Who the hell ever chooses her?" Pidge laughed, but regardless they started up the game.

"Shouldn't we wait for Hunk?"

"Nah, he'll be back soon but we can get a couple races in first. As practice."

"Yea, practice we'll need. Hunk is a fucking maniac at Mario go Kart." Lance said.

"Seriously? Hunk?"

"Hey just because I have glasses on doesn't automatically make me the best at video games." Pidge defended. "Although yes, any other game I am the best at."

Lance rolled his eyes. "What Pidget is trying to say is: Hunk kicks ass at this game but they're still better, which isn't TRUE!" Lance said the last word right in Pidge's ear. "Because everyone knows I am better."

Lance crossed his arms over his chest smugly. Pidge just rolled their eyes and chose rainbow road, already determined to ruin all the friendships in the room.

"Pidge at least give us a warmup!" Lance complained but he grabbed the controller anyway, always ready for a challenge.

Keith had never actually played this game but he wasn't about to tell Lance or Pidge that so he kept quiet as he silently watched Pidge's fingers, trying to figure out which button did what.

As they started the race Keith found himself in first. He got an item from and item box but he didn't know which button to push to utilize it. Pidge was hot on his heels and a quick glance at Lance's screen let him know that Lance had in fact already fallen off the track and into the space background.

"No!" Lance cried out as his character was reset very slowly onto the track.

"Ha! Lance you suck ass." Pidge laughed.

Keith stared at the item in his possession. He wanted to use it. It was a dark blue turtle shell with spikes on it. He was curious as to what it did.

"Pidge, what's this item. I've...never actually played this game." Keith said shyly.

"What?! You've never played? And your in first?!" Pidge laughed. "How's it feel to lose to a newby Lance?" Pidge teased.

"You're losing too!" Lance justified. He was slowly gaining his way back to where Pidge and Keith sat in first and second place.

"I'm not that far behind Keith! You're in sixth." Pidge paused their teasing. "Keith don't use it yet. I'll tell you when."

Keith decided all he could do was trust Pidge and they made another lap around the road. They were on their last lap and Lance was gaining.

Just then Hunk walked in with food. "Ah you guys started without me. Again!" Hunk didn't seem to be too annoyed by his tone however. He set the food onto the table and settled into the couch to watch the race unfold.

"Oh. Oh no. Pidge no." Hunk seemed to know exactly what Pidge was planning just from taking a look at the screen and the item Pidge was having Keith keep in his item box.

"Ha! Take that Pidget!" Lance whooped as he passed Pidge to take second place. He threw a well placed red shell at Keith, knocking him out of first. Lance zoomed by.

"Keith," Pidge began innocently. "Hit that button there," Pidge pointed on their own controller.

Keith did, and the blue shell released. "What does the shell do?" Keith asked innocently.

"It hits however is in first place."

"What?!" Lance cried out as his character was blown off the track. "Pidge no! No what the hell!"

Keith and Pidge got first and second and the game didn't even let Lance finish as he took too long getting to the finish line.

Pidge was laughing and Keith and Hunk couldn't help but join in.

"You guys are Satan."

"Thank you." Pidge said with a bow.

They quit the game and then rejoined so Hunk could be added. Lance actually had to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water so he could cool off.

Pidge chose a more forgiving race course and they spent the next hour spewing profanities at each other and flinging one too many chow mein noodles at each other's faces. By the time the sun had gone down, all of them had been thoroughly defeated by Hunk, with Keith surprisingly coming in second to number of wins, much to Lance's chagrin.

Pidge powered off the game and Keith fidgeted uncomfortably on the couch. Was he supposed to go home now? They had said come over for game night. The game was done, and it was night. Was this his cue?

"Keith! Come with us to get ice cream." Pidge said.

"Ice cream?" He stammered. How had Pidge just known?

"Yeah Lance is always butt hurt after game night so ice cream is usually the best answer."

"I am not butt hurt." Lance said, crossing his arms.

"So you don't want ice cream?" Pidge sneered.

Lance remained silent and pouting for a few more seconds before caving. "YesIwanticecream." He mumbled.

"Ice cream it is!"

"Oooo let's go to the super market that way we can all get pints!" Hunk said enthusiastically.

"You guys! I don't want to go to my work when I'm not on shift." Lance whined.

"Then it's settled. We're going just to annoy Lance!" Pidge said, grabbing keys from a key hook.

They made their way out of the apartment and Keith tried to figure out a way to say he hadn't brought money for ice cream. Sure it was only a few dollars but he didn't really have a few dollars to spare on a whole pint of ice cream for one night.

Lance's blue beat up Honda Civic sat in the parking lot but Pidge unlocked the car next to it, an even older yellow Nissan. The inside lining of the roof was peeling but Pidge hopped into the front seat. Hunk got into the drivers side and Keith assumed it was his car.

That left the back to Lance and Keith and as they crawled into the cramped and dingy car Lance leaned into him. "Hunk doesn't have seat belts but don't worry he's a great driver."

"What?" Keith asked, eyes wide.

"Ah yeah sorry. The back doesn't have belts." Hunk apologized as he started up the car.

"You and Lance can just play jello." Pidge said, wiggling their eyebrows.

"Jello?"

"Yeah. You've never played?" Lance asked. "My siblings and I love this game. We always played on long road trips through the desert."

"Yeah since there's no seat belts you just get to flop around." Pidge said. The car pulled out of the lot.

"That's the game?" Keith asked in disbelief. It was so simple. Also, so wrong. He did not want to spend an entire car ride falling into Lance's space. The last thing he needed was to feel Lance's body heat.

"We don't have to actually play if touching me is so horrible to you." Lance huffed. He'd read Keith's expression all too easily and Keith averted his eyes.

"It's not-"

"Music!" Pidge roared, cutting off Keith. "Hunk replaced the speakers in here."

Pidge picked up a neon blue AUX cord and shuffled through their playlist. Keith tried to slyly look at the type of music Pidge listened to while they flipped through looking for the perfect song.

Hunk's driving style could be be described as quick but careful. He dodged and old lady driving ten under the speed limit and Lance leaned into Keith's arm, but Keith didn't feel jerked around too badly. Hunk drove tame compared to how Keith rode his motorcycle.

Oblivion by Grimes came on and Keith looked surprisingly to Pidge. "You like Grimes?"

"Of course! Her music is amazing!" Pidge smiled.

"Not many know about her." Keith didn't listen to Grimes too often but he did like her music. Allura however was obsessed.

"Speed up Hunkster." Lance encouraged.

"Ah Lance I really don't want to kill us."

"Come on Hunky Hunk. Let's see how fast Daisy can go."

"Daisy?" Keith questioned.

Pidge rolled their eyes. "It's what Lance named Hunk's car. Jesus talk about originality. He just went off the color."

"Hey! I am great at naming things." Lance tried to sound serious but Hunk had taken a turn and he flew into Keith's lap with a yelp. Keith blushed, cheeks heating as he looked down at Lance in his lap.

"Oh sure Lance that's why you named your blue car BLUE!" Pidge shouted toward the back.

They careened into the supermarket parking lot and Lance didn't get a chance to right himself as he fell back into Keith's lap.

"Sorry Keith." Lance smirked, though he looked anything but sorry. Keith's blush deepened but before Lance could comment on it Keith was throwing himself out of the car. Pidge was already halfway to the store, arms crossed behind their head, whistling.

Making their way into the store Lance waved to one of his coworkers. The freezer section was to the left and upon finding the ice cream Pidge and Lance immediately began to argue over which flavor was the best.

"Pidget everyone knows that sherbet is the best flavor because it's pretty like me." Lance said, grabbing a pint.

Pidge rolled their eyes. "Green tea is the best because I rely on this thing when picking out my ice cream. It's called FLAVOR!"

The shout made a lady standing at the end of the aisle glare at them.

"Um yeah I'm just gonna get rocky road." Hunk said. "What flavor are you getting Keith."

Keith froze. He really really didn't have the money. "Ah I'm actually not hungry."

"Um there is a vast difference between being hungry and eating ice cream. No one ever gets ice cream just because they're hungry."

Lance poked Keith in the cheek.

"Ah! Stop that." Keith batted his hand away.

Lance got a determined look on his face, a small crease appearing between his eyebrows.

"Keith." Lance continued to poke him as they made their way to the checkout stand. "Keith."

"What? Stop poking me."

"Share my sherbet with me. I can't eat the whole thing it will ruin my figure." Lance whined.

"You were the one who wanted ice cream so badly." Keith said confusedly.

"No. Share."

"Fine." 

Pidge treated everyone to a pack of plastic spoons and as they walked out of the store they already were digging into their pints.

Keith and Lance sat squished in the middle to keep each other from falling over when Hunk turned, sharing the ice cream. When they got back to their apartment they had finished the whole thing and Keith had major brain freeze.

"Thanks...uh...for the ice cream."

"Anytime pretty boy!" Lance laughed, as if saying that wasn't the most embarrassing thing ever. Keith felt himself blush for what felt like the umpteenth time that night.

He walked over to his bike and he heard Lance shout something but he couldn't quite catch it.

"What?" He turned.

"I said 'give me a ride tomorrow!'" Lance said.

"Uh yeah. Text me when."

And with that he sped off, too embarrassed to stay longer. His heart was racing and it wasn't because of the speed of his bike.

When he finally trudged into his own apartment the clock read 12:30. He set his helmet down on the counter and peeled off his boots and clothes as he walked towards his bed. He didn't even bother with the lights, the light of the city outside illuminating enough.

His apartment had always felt dark and dingy but now without Lance's presence he felt it even more. Keith was always a loner, all his life, but he found himself missing Lance more and more, and he'd only seen him twice.

He pulled out his phone and opened up to Lance's name. He tried to think of an excuse to text Lance. 

Keith: good luck sleeping on the sugar high

Lance: someone else laying in bed awake too;)

Keith: maybe

Lance: well we can keep each other company then

Keith smiled into his pillow, quickly typing out a reply. They texted all night long, and it felt a bit less lonely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! Comments and feedback is always welcome!


	4. The Less I Know the Better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! Hope you enjoy this chapter and I HIGHLY recommend listening to the song that inspired this particular chapter it's one of my favorites at the moment and is stellar. It's called The Less I know the Better by Tame Impala

The Less I Know the Better

-Someone said they live together  
Ran out the door together  
She was holding hands with Trevor  
Not the greatest feeling ever  
Said pull yourself together  
You should try your luck with Heather  
And I hope they slept together  
Oh the less I know the better  
The less I know the better-

"We texted all night Hunk! All night!"

"2 am is not all night Lance." Pidge pointed out as they blearily poured themselves a cup of coffee.

"Okay Pidge not everyone runs off of an hour of sleep like you." Lance pouted. He shoved another mouthful of pancakes into his mouth and attempted to smile with food in his mouth as Hunk placed more freshly made pancakes onto his plate.

"So...um do you know if he has an extra helmet for you. Because you know I want you to have fun and all but...like I don't want you to die." Hunk said while flipping another batch of pancakes.

"He's probably prepared Hunk. Don't worry so much." Lance said, putting his feet up onto the empty chair next to him. Pidge rounded the island and pushed Lance's feet off, taking a seat in the now vacated chair.

"What time is he coming to get you for your date?" Pidge asked.

"Date?!" Lance shouted. Realization dawned on him and a smile split his face. "Oh my gosh it's a date! He's coming at eleven o'clock but oh my god! It's a date!" Lance hurriedly shoved the rest of his food in his mouth before jumping from the table to go prepare a bath. He wanted to smell good and look perfect.

As Pidge and Hunk sat sipping their coffee and finishing their breakfast they could hear the bath turn on in the other room. They couldn't fathom how Lance could ask someone on a date without even realizing it was a date.

"Think he knows it's already ten?" Pidge laughed behind their coffee mug.

"I'll warn him." Hunk said, wearily getting up to go tell Lance his bath had a time limit.

The resulting scream echoed through the apartment complex.

-

Keith was pacing.

He had been up for two hours and it still wasn't time to get Lance. He couldn't help but analyze the implications of their excursion. Of course it seemed like a date. But maybe Lance didn't see it that way. Maybe Lance just saw it as an excuse to get on his bike. He had called him pretty, on multiple occasions, but 'pretty boy' and just 'pretty' are very different.

He decided there were worse things then showing up a little early and he grabbed his belongings, remembering to get the extra helmet, and headed out.

He was speeding through the streets, almost to Lance's apartment, when he saw a flower shop. He clutched the brakes, skidding around the first corner he came across and doubling back to the shop.

The lady inside was helpful after Keith gave up the information that the flowers were for a date. He hadn't known what to buy but the girl assured him violet roses were beautiful and meant love at first sight. Keith bought them with the hopes that Lance wouldn't understand their hidden meaning.

When he got to his bike he realized his issue. The bikes tiny storage compartment barely fit a spare helmet and the flowers would be crushed if Keith tried to fit them in. He had a sport bike, meant for speed and appearance, not a Harley meant for cruising. That meant minimal storage.

He pulled his helmet on and lightly placed the bouquet in his lap. This was going to be the balancing act of the century. The moment he turned on the bike the flowers almost fell. Keith would deny the undignified squeak he made until the day he died.

His speed was much more subdued on the way to Lance's and he swerved a bit more than he would like to admit while trying to balance the roses. He even got a few strange looks from cars next to him.

By the time he arrived Keith was convinced this was the worst idea he had ever had. The roses were relatively okay but he was now completely doubting that he and Lance were going on a date.

Who shows up to places with flowers anymore? It's so cliche. He was internally wincing and he couldn't even bring himself to knock on the door. He had texted Pidge to let him up into the apartment and he was just hoping they hadn't given Lance a heads up.

Too much to hope.

Lance swung the door open wide before Keith could raise his hand to knock. He seemed a bit out of breath, as if he ran to open the door. Keith could see Hunk in the living room on the couch along with Pidge and both of them were staring at Keith.

"Umm...hi...I got- here." Keith thrust the bouquet into Lance's arms, his cheeks flaming and the tips of his ears hot.

Lance's eyes lit up. "Space flowers! They're purple I didn't even know roses came in the color purple!" He turned and made for the kitchen, most likely to put the flowers in some water. Keith stepped in awkwardly, very much aware of Pidge and Hunk's eyes on him.

As soon as the lilac roses were in water and cared for Lance grabbed his jacket and Keith, dragging both out the door before Pidge or Hunk could get a word in.

"They're nice." Lance said as the exited the building. "The flowers I mean."

"Uh...I thought so too." Keith and Lance arrived at his bike and he busied himself getting Lance's helmet, glad for the distraction. Did that mean Lance knew this was a date and was okay with it?

The easy conversation that comes through a phone screen surrounded by the dark didn't translate to seeing Lance face to face. Keith felt he had made everything awkward by getting Lance roses.

Now there was no mistaking that Keith thought this was a date but he had no way to gauge if Lance thought the same.

"Here's a spare helmet." Keith handed Lance the helmet that he had previously never used. Keith had bought a spare helmet in case he or Shiro ever wanted to ride somewhere but whenever they ended up going somewhere together they took Shiro's beat up car. He'd never rode with a passenger but he wasn't about to tell Lance that.

He put his own helmet on and climbed into the familiar seat of his sport bike. He turned his head as Lance climbed on behind him and he was glad his helmet covered his whole face so Lance couldn't see him blushing.

"Um just wrap your arms around my waist. Or..um...you'll fall off."

Lance did as he was told and Keith couldn't help but feel self conscious with Lance's arms around him. The bike revved to life and Lance held onto him tighter.

"Ready?" Keith asked, trying to keep the waver from his voice.

"Mhm."

Keith started off slow, tensing his abdomen when Lance grabbed on tightly.

The extra weight clinging to his back threw him off slightly at first but he got used to it faster than he thought he would.

He sped up and soon he was riding as naturally then as if he were alone. If passengers weren't comfortable to carry then people obviously wouldn't do it. It just took a few turns to get used to the weight.

Keith zoomed through the city, smiling behind his helmet.

He could hear Lance faintly laughing behind him. A sharp turn caused Lance to hold on even tighter and Keith relished in the touch.

Aside from Shiro's awkward back pats, Keith hadn't been simply touched in a long time.

They rode around until Keith realized the sun was getting lower in the sky and his gas tank was half empty. A price his wallet would scold him for later, but Lance was worth it.

They stopped in front of Lance's apartment and finally dismounted. Even Keith's legs were a little wobbly as they stood up. He could only imagine Lance, who wasn't used to riding.

"That was awesome!"

"Glad you enjoyed it."

"I'm glad I finally got to ride you." Lance's eyes widened at his own words. "Ride with you! I meant ride with you."

Keith blushed at Lance's words and even through Lance's tan pallor he could see a red tinge on his cheeks.

"Yea...anytime." Keith decided right then and there that he was just going to say 'fuck it'. He was always impulsive and went off of his instincts.

He moved in quickly, pecking Lance chastely on the lips. It was a fast kiss and light as a feather, almost as if it didn't happen at all. If Lance's wide eyes were any indication however, then the kiss was very, very real.

"Um....bye." Keith rushed out, turning from Lance and hopping back onto his bike. Once on he was off like a shot, not even sparing a glance over his shoulder.

He was seriously regretting listening to his gut for once. Lance looked so surprised. He hadn't exactly said he didn't like it, but he also didn't say he did either.

Keith couldn't help but feel it was all one big misunderstanding. One night of texting and he was buying Lance flowers? And kissing him goodbye? Acting like they were on a date? Keith was probably misreading the whole thing. Shiro said Keith did that a lot. Said he wasn't a 'people person'.

By the time Keith got to his own ratty apartment however, a text awaited him.

Lance: you left me in the dust hot shot. how about we get some ice cream tomorrow so I can put some ice on my burn. I'll drive.

Oh my god. Did Lance just use a shitty pick up line? Keith actually laughed out loud. Since when had he read something on his phone that actually made him laugh aloud?

Keith: time?

Lance: high noon for our showdown

Keith smirked. They texted banter back and forth and conversation flowed easier. The barriers and pressures of their 'date' were gone and Lance cracked jokes left and right.

Keith considered himself the luckiest man on earth when he fell asleep to Lance's constant texts again that night at the late hour of 1:14 am.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! As always comments and feedback are greatly appreciated.


	5. Dream Fortress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no update! I am so sorry! Exams really screwed me over and everything but I am almost done I just have three more weeks! However, my important exams are over and the rest should be easy so expect lots of updates. Summer is upon us!! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!! Also: the tag Mild angst has been added so hold on to your butts. The song for this chapter is Dream Fortress by Grimes.

Dream Fortress  
-Oh, touching  
He can't have it  
I can tease  
Oh, lie with me  
Tired of living on my own, baby  
Oh, how dear, when I see  
(Have it when it's waiting for you)  
Oh, no, you see the way and I can't see  
(Have it when it's waiting for you)-

Keith woke up to light streaming into his apartment through the blinds. He could see little dust particles flying through the air lazily and was reminded of how stuffy and dingy the room was.

The lack of an alarm meant today was his day off. Shiro and Allura liked to give him one day a week where he didn't teach any classes but Keith hated that one day. He hated feeling idle. He hated the thought of losing money.

He needed money.

The thought of money made him angry and he rolled out of bed to try to relieve some tension. His student debt was weighing on his shoulders like an anvil. $43,000 by his junior year was why Keith dropped out of college the semester previous. He couldn't justify that amount any longer and his job wasn't enough to keep up with his tuition even with his financial aid and scholarships from being an orphan. Normally a fast ride around the city was a good option but his gas tank was protesting from how much he had used the day before on he and Lance's date.

Lance.

Yes that was a better place for his mind to settle.

He picked his phone up and sent a good morning text to Lance, hoping the gesture would be appreciated. He couldn't wait for their ice cream date at noon. Right as he sent it however, a text appeared from Shiro and he saw that he had 7 missed calls from the man.

Shiro: I'm coming over

Keith: What? Is it not my day off? I'm sorry I'll be right in.

He must have worried Shiro when he didn't answer and now he was going to die. Shiro was going to kill him. Worse. Allura. She was going to kill him.

His phone buzzing again jolted him out of those thoughts.

Shiro: no no! It's your day off. I'll be there soon.

The cryptic message only served to further confuse Keith. Shiro was his best friend and like a brother to him but he almost never just dropped by unannounced.

Well, he did announce it, but in a very strange way.

Keith was in only his underwear when a knock came at the door.

He jumped and whirled angrily but his anger dissipated when he realized it was probably just Shiro.

He swung open the door and there Shiro stood with a beaming smile on his face. He clutched a nice wooden box with an intricate design on top with inlaid ivory.

Shiro frowned slightly at Keith's attire but walked in and closed the door behind him.

"Keith?"

"What?" Keith was beginning to feel anxious. Like he wasn't in on a joke or prank.

"Happy birthday." Shiro's smile was gone. Instead it was replaced by his lips tugging down and his eyebrows drawing together.

Oh.

'Oh my god.' Keith thought.

Shiro watched as the emotions cycled through Keith's unique eyes and then watched as the tears welled up and then were willed away.

Keith crashed into Shiro's chest.

"Thanks." He mumbled into the fabric of Shiro's shirt.

"Here." Shiro handed him the box. "It's from Turkey. Coran had it shipped over special.

Keith opened the box and a beautiful curved dagger sat in red velvet. It was sharp but clearly for show. Designs were etched into the steel and the hilt had the same dark wood and ivory inlaid into it as the box itself.

"Thank you..." Keith gently set the box down on the table in his living room. He would cherish it. It was probably more expensive than his monthly rent.

He couldn't believe he had forgotten his own birthday.

"Come on. We can go out to brunch or something. Go to that coffee shop you like." Shiro nudged Keith in the direction of his 'room' which was just a bed shoved in the corner of his apartment and a beat up old dresser.

Keith grabbed some black jeans that looked clean and a shirt from the drawer that didn't smell.

Grabbing his leather jacket off the hook and his keys he took one last look at his apartment before closing and locking the door.

As they walked down the stairs Keith willed away the dread that built in the pit of his stomach. All these years and some days he still struggled with cars. Sometimes it didn't hinder him at all. He didn't even think about it. But on days like this one, he was conscious of the anxiety built up from years. He always endured it though.

Shiro unlocked the door to his beat up black BMW, the rickety metal frame jolting as he threw open the driver side door. He patiently waited to get in until Keith touched the handle and swung open his door, which today only took a few seconds. Sometimes Shiro would wait minutes, one time even an hour.

Keith slid into the old leather seats with a silent sigh.

"I'll take you to that breakfast place Allura likes. Then we can get coffee at the Balmera." Shiro promised as he turned over the engine. It sputtered and started and they were off, Keith clutching the door handle and his shoulders tense.

Their breakfast was nice and Keith scarfed down food, not realizing he had skipped dinner the night before and for two nights in a row.

After they finished Shiro insisted on paying, calling it a 'birthday present'. The drive to the Balmera was short and Keith let a small smile slip when they entered his favorite coffee shop. He loved the place but his budget recently hadn't allowed for coffee excursions.

Shiro paid and they sat in one of the cozy tables in the back. Keith tried to not feel too guilty that Shiro had bought him breakfast and coffee.

They were just sinking into the atmosphere of quiet conversation when Pidge shrieked. Keith startled as this was the last place he thought he would see someone he knew.

"Keith?!" They looked angry as they stormed over, expression cloudy and short frame radiating displeasure.

"Who's this?" Pidge asked through tightly clenched teeth and thin lips, fake smile not even close to being believable.

"This is Shiro...?" Keith said hesitantly. He couldn't figure out why Pidge seemed so mad.

"Hello. You must be Pidge. Keith talks a lot about you." Shiro smiled and reached out his hand. Pidge shook it. Hard.

"Oh has he? Has he mentioned Lance?"

"He has." Shiro smiled wider. "I know I have you to thank for making Keith come out of his box. He needs someone like Lance."

"He calls my apartment my 'box'." Keith grumbled quietly.

Pidge's eyes went wide and then all their anger dissipated. "Oh thank god. I thought Keith was on a date with you I was so mad." Pidge turned to Keith. "Keith I thought you left our Lancelot in the dust."

Keith sputtered and coughed up some coffee unattractively onto his shirt. "No never! Shiro is like..my brother!"

"Yea but sometimes I feel more like your dad." Shiro complained.

"Ha!" Pidge giddily sat next to Keith and joined them. "I love the Balmera what brings you guys to this place? I don't think I've ever seen either of you around."

"Keith loves this place and it's his birthday so I thought I'd bring him in."

"Birthday?!" Pidge looked betrayed. "You never said your birthday was coming up?"

"I forgot."

"You forgot your own birthday? Keith that's the ultimate sadness. Are you doing anything tonight?"

"No I was just going to hang out with Shiro-oh!" Keith squawked as Pidge yanked him from his seat. Shiro followed with a smile as Pidge chatted excitedly.

"We'll throw a party! Hunk can bake you a cake he's the best at baking and Lance will be there and Shiro you can invite Keith's other friends it will be so fun!" Pidge was talking a mile a minute as they clambered into Shiro's car.

Pidge climbed onto their lime green Vespa and instructed Shiro to follow them to their apartment.

Keith allowed himself to feel excitement for a day that usually only caused him dread as they sped through the city following Pidge's little Vespa.

Excitement was soon replaced by anxiety. He was seeing Lance earlier than planned. In the excitement he had sent Lance a heads up text telling him they would raincheck their ice cream date but he still felt unprepared. He had dressed for a day out with Shiro and now he was feeling self conscious. He was in the same red leather jacket he always wore and he had his motorcycle gloves on out of habit even though he isn't riding today and oh god Lance probably thought he was weird.

All too soon the apartment came into sight. When they parked and met with Pidge to go up in the elevator together Pidge was already on the phone with Hunk shooting rapid fire instructions.

"Is Allura coming?" Keith asked Shiro as a way to distract himself.

"Yea I sent her the address. She said she wouldn't miss it for the world. Even got Coran to take over one of her yoga classes for her."

"Oh god. You know how Coran gets when he does yoga."

"Lord help those students." Shiro laughed as they entered the apartment.

The first thing out of Shiro's mouth when he saw the interior of the apartment was: "Oh god. Allura is going to love this place."

The crystals and tapestries weren't just Lance's style. They were Allura's too. She was going to freak out and demand Shiro help her renovate their already beautiful loft.

"Lance take the beauty mask off your face and get out here!"

"Ah!"

A shout could be heard from further in the apartment and then a very rushed Lance came bounding out.

"Happy birthday Keith!" Lance turned to defend himself. "I did not have a beauty mask on Pidge."

"Yea sure. You have some-" Pidge gestured to right under their left eye where Lance had missed swiping off some of the green goo he apparently had on his face.

"Ah!" Lance quickly went into the kitchen to try to wash it off.

"Happy birthday." Hunk greeted. He appeared to be steady working on a cake. The batter was mixed and he was pouring it into a cake mold.

"Thank you..." Keith said sheepishly. Another reason he didn't like his birthday. Too much attention. Well, in recent years at least. Which lead to reason number two of why he didn't like his birthday. Being forgotten.

He never got adopted from the orphanage because he had too many problems: PTSD, social anxiety... and while some of those had gotten better over the years he was never adopted. Therefore his days at the orphanage were long and full of neglect as the place housed many children of various ages. No one ever remembered Keith's birthday and eventually, neither did he.

"Keith!" Allura burst through the open door. "Happiest of birthdays! Coran wishes he could come but you know he's hung up at the gym."

She handed him a handwritten card and inside was a Visa card with $50 on it. To some that would seem like an impersonal gift but to Keith it meant the world. Allura knew he always was short on money for gas and other basic necessities.

"Thank you Allura."

She simply smiled and nodded before turning to examine her surroundings. True to Shiro's predictions her eyes lit up.

"Oh my look at the crystals!" Her British accent

She gushed over every little item and trinket and Lance showed them to her with pride.

Lance had worked hard to get where he was and his family even harder. He had many siblings and he was the first to go off to college. His family worked day and night to pay for his tuition and Lance helped all he could with his money from working at the grocery store.

His apartment was his space and it was his pride.

Hunk called them all into the kitchen and the cake sat on the countertop. It was vanilla with red writing reading "Happy Birthday Keith".

It was all so very cliche but so very his. Keith felt happiness bloom in his chest. He had friends who hadn't forgotten his birthday. He had a cake. He had gifts.

He sat close to Lance on the couch and they ate their cake next to each other as everyone else talked around them. Shiro seemed to be hitting it off with everyone and of course Allura was welcomed with open arms. She was just too lovable.

As Keith looked around and the warm feeling in his stomach didn't dissipate into dread, he felt happy. Happier than he had in awhile.

He'd been feeling this way more recently and he could only attribute it to the one new thing in his life.

Lance.

Singing, dancing, mop swaying Lance.

Keith smiled. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading! Comments and feedback is always welcome and greatly appreciated!


	6. Under Your Spell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey long time no see! I know this chapter is very short and seems to take a turn for the what the fuck but I promise promise it makes sense in the grand scheme of things. Like I said earlier, hold onto your butts. The song of the chapter is Under Your Spell by Desire.

Under Your Spell

-Hey  
Yeah?  
I was wondering... Do you know the difference between love and obsession?  
No  
(...) and what's the difference between obsession and desire?

 I don't know

Do you think this feeling will last forever?  
You mean like... forever ever? Forever ever? Forever ever? Forever ever? [...] Sure!  
God, I hope so  
Me too! -

Everything had gone to shit.

It had been two weeks, and everything had gone to shit.

For the past two weeks while Lance ignored Keith's calls and texts, Keith had been wracking his brain for the reason. Lance, who texted him a thousand times throughout the day and held conversations with him all night long, was now ignoring him.

The only thing out of place Keith could find was his birthday. He and Lance had been sitting on the couch eating cake and then Lance had asked how old Keith was turning.

Apparently 22 was the wrong answer because this strange look came across Lance's face and since that night he'd been dodging Keith.

Keith decided enough was enough. If Lance was going to ignore his calls and texts then he was going to the one place Lance couldn't ignore him in person.

The grocery store.

Lance was an employee there and he wasn't technically allowed to ignore a paying customer.

At least that's what Keith assumed. That's how things worked at Keith's job at Coran's gym.

He raced outside to his bike and hopped on before he could change his mind. He was going to hell on earth but he was going for Lance because he couldn't let this...thing they had die. It was their thing.

Keith didn't have many things with other people. He was solitary and his name rarely went with any other person. Sometimes Shiro, but he liked it when it came out of people's mouths as Keith and Lance. Them.

He didn't know what they had but he knew he would regret it if he left it at this limbo they were in.

These thoughts consumed him as he drove to the grocery store, for once not breaking the speed limit on his sport bike.

Upon walking into the large store Keith was already annoyed. He pushed through and began stalking toward the aisle he had seen Lance in the last time he was here. The first time he met Lance.

There was a very good chance Lance wouldn't be there but maybe it was the section he worked in in the massive store.

Sure enough, Keith caught sight of Lance and his mop disappearing around the corner.

"Lance!" Keith called out. He rounded the corner and caught up to Lance. His blue eyes were wide with shock.

"What are you doing here?"

"It's a grocery store." After one look at Lance's expression Keith could tell that white lie wasn't hold up. "Okay...I'm looking for you. Why are you avoiding me?" He paused. "I haven't seen you since...since my birthday."

"I'm not talking to you." Lance said, turning away from Keith.

"Wha-? Lance. Lance!" He began to walk after Lance as he mopped down the aisle, determinedly away from Keith. "You can't just ignore me. It's your job."

"Well I'm ignoring you."

"But why?"

By now other shoppers were staring and the manager had taken notice, beginning to stalk toward them.

"Keith if you get me fired so help me God-"

"Fine. Fine." Keith crossed his arms, fighting the heat rising in his cheeks. "You annoyed me anyway." Keith said as an after thought. He could see his words had stung Lance, his face looking like someone slapped him, but dammit Lance hurt Keith first.

He turned away and left, stalking out of the grocery store like a dark cloud. He was angry with Lance. But most of all, he was angry with himself. He had allowed himself to feel for Lance when all he'd ever been dealt in his life is misery. He should've known better.

Climbing onto his bike he revved it to life and sped out of the parking lot, riding hard.

He was so mad. So so mad. How could Lance just fall into his life and then decide to turn tail and run as soon as he made an impact. Keith was so so mad. And Keith was...crying?

He was crying and his vision was blurring and since when did Keith Kogane cry over anyone?

He pulled over and flung his helmet off, reaching for his cell phone. Shiro's number was dialing before he even realized he'd clicked on his contact.

"Hello?"

"Shiro." Keith's voice cracked and he knew he sounded pathetic but he'd gone two weeks being ignored by Lance and his apartment was dark and he needed Shiro.

"Keith? Keith are you okay?"

"No." His voiced cracked again and god he sounded pathetic. He couldn't remember the last time he cried. No. No he could remember and thinking of that day just made everything worse.

"Keith where are you?"

"The side of the road."

"Which road?"

"I- I don't know. The one with the coffee shop Allura likes. Close to downtown." People were staring at him while he cried and he felt nothing but shame.

"I'm coming."

-

Lance was in the back room crying. It was technically not his break but his manager had taken one look at his face after the whole Keith debacle and told him to go to the back for ten minutes.

Keith lied to him. He lied and worst of all he didn't even realize it.

Keith dropped out of college. In Lance's eyes that is unforgivable. Pidge had looked up Keith's records. He was top of his class. He just decided to drop out. Lance's family was fighting tooth and nail to send him to college and Keith just dropped out?

Keith was 22. He should be in his final year, like Lance.

But he dropped out.

Lance was hurt but more than that he was angry, because Keith gave up.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading as always comments and feedback are greatly appreciated!!


	7. Nightcall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys sorry for the long wait but I was really focused on this other fic that is now complete!! Yay! So now I can focus on this one and just in time for season 3!! The song for this chapter is Nightcall by Kavinsky and it's one of my favorites! Highly recommend a listen.

-I'm giving you a night call to tell you how I feel  
I want to drive you through the night, down the hills  
I'm gonna tell you something you don't want to hear  
I'm gonna show you where it's dark, but have no fear-

Keith's shift at the gym had just ended, his last class for the day filing out. Allura bounded up to him, her long silver hair piled on her head in two space buns.

"Hey Keith," she started, "I was wondering if you wanted to go get some dinner right now? My treat."

If Allura was tasked with getting him out of his rut then he must look bad. Shiro never resorted to using his girlfriend unless it was desperate times.

"Sure." Keith tried to sound nonchalant but Allura picked up his wary tone anyway.

"I won't bite." She assured.

The walk to the diner they'd chose was filled with awkward silences and one sided chit chat from Allura.

By the time they'd sat down and ordered their food Keith just wanted to leave. He was fidgeting with the hem of his jacket when Allura finally broke the silence.

"Shiro says you've been moping around."

"Why is that your guys' problem." Keith snapped, falling into defensiveness immediately. He didn't want to let on how hurt he was by Lance.

It was embarrassing. He'd gotten attached so quickly, it was humiliating to be left in the dust so suddenly with no explanation. This is why Keith didn't let people in.

"We're your friends Keith. We want to help you. Shiro says you never leave your apartment and you aren't eating reg-"

"Stop!" Keith shouted. "Stop babying me. You're not my friend you're here because Shiro asked you to talk to me. You're his girlfriend nothing more." Keith stood abruptly and after a split second of feeling guilty for walking out without paying even though Allura said it was her treat, he left.

The walk from the diner to his bike at the gym left Keith fuming. He was so angry. And hurt. But he wasn't angry at Allura. He was angry with Lance.

He didn't even give Keith a chance. He told him to leave.

He had ridden to the grocery store before he even realized he was on his bike. He sat in the parking lot as it begun to rain. The water droplets distorted the lights and the smell of wet pavement filled his nose.

Shiro had given him this book for his birthday. In the two weeks Lance had been ignoring him and the week since they'd had their blow up in the grocery store Keith had nothing to do in his apartment but read.

So he read.

It was called "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe".

It was a good book and Keith had cried reading it, though he wouldn't tell Shiro, but he couldn't help but think it was meant for him.

The Secrets of the Universe.

What made him the angrier then himself or Lance was the fact that he didn't know what had caused all this. He wanted to know.

So he decided in that parking lot, as he was being pelted with fucking rain, staring at that god forsaken super market. He was going to find out all of Lance's secrets.

Keith was never good with words. As he marched soaking wet through the store looking for Lance he knew he would have no idea what to say to him.

Money ruled Keith's life. He never seemed to have enough of it. Neither did his foster parents when he had some. Growing up in the system meant growing up with next to nothing. Just enough clothes to get by but so little clothes that he could pack them into a bag and move to the next foster home because he was always eventually kicked out.

"He's too quiet."

"He argues with the other kids."

"His nightmares wake us up at night."

Keith never had money. Even more so when he was out of the system and going to uni. All of his money poured into tuition and his student debts still piled up high.

Until it just became too much.

So the one thing Keith knew meant something, the one action he had learned to appreciate to the fullest, was when someone bought him something.

That was tangible value. Wealth.

He picked up violet flowers and he walked to the register. The looked just like the ones Keith had bought for Lance for their first date. Albeit in plastic grocery store wrap versus the beautiful butchers paper and ribbon the florist had used.

He paid the $15 for them and then politely asked if Lance was working. The girl at the cash register confusedly pointed in the general direction of the back saying he was probably stocking.

Keith mustered up his courage and set out for Lance. After walking down a few aisles in the back he found Lance, stocking cereal boxes. He was so concentrated he didn't realize Keith was standing a few feet away.

Finally Keith cleared his voice and Lance looked up. His eyes widened and he shot to his feet.

"Keith?!"

Instead of answering Keith thrust the flowers into Lance's arms and then turned on his heel and walked out. The fluorescent lights shining above cast everything into a bright glow and the darkness of nighttime outside was a shock.

It was still raining and Keith climbed onto his bike and turned over the engine.

He was determined to win Lance back over. It could take a day, or an entire year. Keith was going to do it. He had nothing else to lose.

He didn't want to go back to his apartment but he had to go home sometime. When he walked in he sent a quick text to Allura apologizing. He needed a shower but he didn't want to run up the water bill. After a few moments of debating he realized he was being ridiculous and jumped in the shower.

By the time he got out Allura had replied assuring him everything was okay and she just wanted to make sure he was alright.

He was settling in for bed when he phone pinged.

It was a text from Lance. He almost dropped his phone in his haste to read what the text said.

Lance: stop

Keith's heart hurt. It literally hurt in that moment. To have his hopes soar so high only to have them crash down. Now Keith knew why people said "broken heart" his chest literally hurt.

He knew he should stop. He couldn't force Lance to like him. Couldn't force Lance to even be friends with him. You can't force people into doing things by stalking them. But dammit Keith wanted to try just one more time.

He got paid in two days and the first thing he was going to do was buy roses for Lance again.

He would try just one more time.

Maybe the next time Lance would spill what had happened. Why he was pushing Keith away.

He turned off the light by his bed and his apartment became even darker then it normally was.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading as always comments and feedback are greatly appreciated and always welcome!


	8. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Fun reading all the comments on last chapter they really motivated me to clear up all the confusion between the boys haha. This chapters song is Secrets by Silver Swans which is pretty fitting.

__-Are you happy  
I know you shiver like a stone  
I know you can't be  
When you have nowhere else to go-

Lance laid on the couch while the tv played mindlessly across from him. He hadn't been watching it for over an hour but it still sat on while Hunk cooked dinner in the kitchen.

Pidge was on they're computer typing furiously away at something. The sounds of the keyboard usually lulled Lance since they were familiar but today it only agitated him further.

"Stop moping." Pidge deadpanned without even looking up from the screen.

"I'm not moping." Lance defended. He didn't want to admit how much Keith was affecting him.

Every person he had ever met had lied to him. Except Hunk, but Hunk was a rare exception to most things.

But Keith?

Lance didn't think Keith would lie to him. Sure, they'd met quickly and fallen even quicker. Their relationship moved fast and they had both known what they'd wanted and were going for it.

But Keith lied.

Lance was angry that he had dropped out of university. Anyone would gladly take a spot at Garrison University, it was selective. But also it was expensive, as any university. Lance and his family worked hard to put him through college and he had a brother below him and two sisters. They still needed to go to college too.

But even more important than the lie was the lying. The act of it.

Keith didn't exactly cover it up but he wasn't forthright with it either.

Lance was mad at himself because he knew he was being ridiculous but he couldn't help it. His anxiety was gnawing away at him. He hadn't felt it this bad in awhile.

Everyone lies to him.

They're always lying to him. Telling him he's great and nice and smart. They're lying. He feels like they're mocking him behind his back.

He subconsciously curls further into himself on the couch, his lanky frame smashed between the two arm rests.

"Dinner's ready." Hunk called.

"I'm not hungry." Lance mumbled.

"Lance you're always hungry, that's a lie." Hunk said, coming over to the couch and leaning over Lance.

There was that word.

Lie.

Lance stood grumbling and stalked into the kitchen where Pidge was already grabbing food for their plate. Hunk loved cooking but it wasn't often all three of them were home to enjoy dinner together with their hectic schedules.

"Why don't you text Keith, see if he wants to come over for some food." Hunk suggested.

"I don't want to talk to Keith."

"Come on Lance you're being ridiculous. Maybe he had a good reason for dropping out of Garrison." Hunk said.

"The school files don't give specifics, you have to ask him yourself." Pidge said.

Lance sighed. "He gave me flowers."

Pidge and Hunk exchanged a look like they knew something Lance didn't. He hated when they did that.

"What?" He demanded. When they didn't immediately answer he repeated himself louder. "What?!"

"Lance I knew Keith from one of my old math classes. He's not the romantic type. The fact that he's gotten you flowers twice now really says something." Pidge said.

"I know." Lance mumbled.

He was being an asshole, he knew it. He needed to get over himself.

He had work in an hour. Something inside of him hoped Keith would show up. Just one more time.

Keith wouldn't give up that easily would he. Keith was stubborn.

Right?

-

Lance was almost done with his shift and Keith still hadn't shown up. He was mopping the same asile in hopes Keith would come and know where to look for him. There was only so long he could stand around pretending to clean though.

He supposed he deserved it, for how mean he was being to Keith. He just felt so betrayed.

A quick glance at the clock told him he was going to be off in 15 minutes and for once Lance didn't want his shift to end.

It happened when he had given up. He had two minutes left in his shift and he was holding back tears. He'd done this to himself. He had bouts of anxiety that made him slightly irrational and it was passing and now he could see how blind he was being. Keith still lied but...

He looked up and there was Keith, strutting down the aisle confidently to thrust purple roses into Lance's hands. He turned away before Lance could say anything and walked out quickly.

Lance stared down, stunned at the flowers in his hands. How Keith hadn't given up.

He basically threw the mop into the back room and rushed out of the store almost forgetting to clock out.

Immediately he pulled out his phone. Keith's contact name stared up at him. Suddenly all of his courage and fervor rushed out of him. What did he even say?

Lance: can we talk?

Keith: yea sure anywhere you'd like

Lance: I'll swing by your apartment tomorrow morning?

Keith: sounds good

The conversation was stilted, understandably so, but it still hurt. Knowing it was partly his fault hurt more.

He wanted to go to sleep so he could wake up and then go to Keith's.

He needed to talk to him. Whether it was to fix whatever damage he had done or end whatever it is they had going on between them, though Lance hoped that wasn't the case, it needed to happen.

Tomorrow, he would talk to Keith. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading and as always comments and feedback are greatly appreciated.


	9. Swim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! This chapter's song is Swim by Douglas Dare I highly recommend a listen to this one! One of my favs right now. Thank you for all the feedback it's amazing. That being said: PLEASE READ: this chapter deals with college and money and university a lot more than some of the other chapters and if that's triggering for you in any way please be cautious while reading.

-Each of us, we're going in  
Even if we don't know how to swim  
We're going in

I will stand at the pool side  
Counting the rings made from her dive  
I want to get in, I want to get in  
I want to get in- 

The door to Keith's apartment made the wall that had been erected between them tangible. All he had to do was knock but Lance was terrified. Ever since Keith had come into his life some weeks ago he'd been there, a constant presence. Even when they were fighting for the past few weeks Keith was there. He was in Lance's thoughts and every move.

But if Lance walked in there and Keith decided to end things for good then he wouldn't be in Lance's life anymore.

He had talked a long time with his mom on the phone this morning, giving her all the details on the past couple weeks of his life.

"...but mama he lied."

"Lance, it sounds like you're trying to convince yourself he lied. From what you've told me, he just never mentioned that he dropped out."

"But..."

"Lance." Her harsh tone had him shutting his mouth instantly. Years of being scolded by his mother while chasing his siblings gave way to a guttural instinct. He knew not to talk back when his mama was speaking. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Keith is embarrassed?"

His eyes brimmed over with tears as he stood in front of Keith's door.

He'd ruined everything. It was all his fault. His anxiety and his meds just recently switching and the stress from uni. He also missed his family and his mom's cooking and his little sister and-

The door swung open.

Keith stared at him blankly. It looked like he was barely human. His emotions shut off.

"Are you going to come in or just stand there?"

Lance mumbled a quick apology and hurried in, taking a seat on the couch. He'd never been in Keith's apartment and instantly he felt...sad.

It was dark and somber. Band posters covered a lot of the walls but even Lance could see that was a feeble attempt at covering the cracks and chipping paint. Keith's bed was close enough to the couch that Lance could take three steps and be on it. The kitchen was less than a few feet away too.

There was one window but even that looked lonely.

A snake habitat sat under a small heat lamp but that looked like the closest thing to a personal item besides the posters.

Keith's apartment was just...sad. It wasn't dirty past the basic foundation of the apartment. That couldn't be fixed, but it was still so dark.

"How do you live here?" The question came out before Lance could filter his brain.

Keith sheepishly looked to his shoes before taking a seat on his bed facing Lance.

It was just such a stark contrast to Lance's childhood home. His house wasn't large per say but it was bright and homey. His siblings were always running around somewhere and his mom's cooking could always be smelled from anywhere in the house. His dad's work boots always by the door. His little sisters toys everywhere and his little brothers socks left all over.

"It's not that bad." Keith said defensively but even to his own ears it sounded weak. "Are you here to insult my apartment or are you here to talk?"

"Sorry." Lance breathed out quickly. He took a deep breath and then he started from the only place his mama taught him how.

The beginning.

The words 'anxiety' and 'new medicine' came up. The words 'no excuse' were in there too. Even the words 'can we still be friends' made an appearance.

And all the while Keith sat and listened. He didn't interrupt. As soon as he heard part of Lance's reason for overreacting he knew it was not his place to interrupt. Because Keith knew how hard it was to talk about certain things let alone when people interrupted and asked questions. He knew all too well.

"...and so I just want to say I'm sorry. And if we can be friends or go back to our...our flirting and maybe make something more I would be happy." Lance finished. Then he blushed because if Keith didn't know Lance liked him before then he definitely did now. It was basically a confession.

Keith opened his mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again. Then breathed in. Then spoke.

"I should have told you. I-I knew you went there. You even asked me on the first day we met if I went there. I just...I'm..." Lance waited for the dreadful word his mother used. The worst human emotion besides fear and sometimes even anxiety. "I'm embarrassed."

There it was.

Embarrassed.

"Who wants to date a college dropout? It was just...it was too expensive. I have $43,000 in debt I owe for student loans and that isn't including my senior year tuition because I dropped out. I got some scholarships for my situation but..." Keith trailed off, the hope leaving his eyes like a flame extinguishing.

"Stop Keith. I understand. I shouldn't have pushed you. And for the record...being a dropout isn't a bad thing. College isn't for everyone. It's not. And-"

"But it was for me!" Keith interrupted. He was breathing harder and working himself up and he was glad he had on his biking gloves because his fingernails were digging crescents into his palms.

"I loved college. I just-" his voice cracked and he slumped forward tears falling. All the pent up emotions about dropping out, his lifetime he now faced of debt, his shitty apartment, his having no family to rely on. It all came crashing into one giant sob.

Lance immediately stood and sat next to Keith on the bed, tentatively reaching out and putting his arms around his shoulders.

"Shhh, Keith it's okay. It's okay." He let him cry and he cried himself. They were such idiots to have ignored each other for so long. Lance did what he did best. He talked. He talked about how much he loved the flowers Keith got him. He talked about his mom and his siblings. He talked about Cuba and how he doesn't remember it but his older brother does. He talks and he talks and he talks until Keith's sobs taper off into small hiccups.

"You know, my brother dropped out of high school. High school. My mom was so mad. He just...took off."

Keith looked up at Lance with wide eyes.

"Not much you can do without a high school diploma. He came back a month later looking horrible, said he had been on the streets. My mother cried so hard. And my dad, he just looked so sad. They came to America for a better life and it chewed up their oldest son and spat him back out. But he got back on track. He did online classes. He got his GED. Now he's working in a mechanics shop downtown. It's not the end of the line." Lance assured.

Keith looked up at him. He was biting his lip and his cheeks were red and splotchy. Tears glistened on the bottoms of his eyelashes.

"I hate...I hate crying." He stuttered out, wiping at his eyes harshly.

"My mama says everyone needs to cry sometimes or all the tears will build up and drown you from the inside out."

Keith rushed forward and pressed his lips to Lance's. It was messy and a little off center but it was them and all too soon Keith was pulling away.

Lance hadn't even had time to close his eyes. In fact, they were wide in shock.

"Oh so I flirt endlessly for weeks but I make you cry and then I get a kiss? Keith Kogane I don't think that's how relationships work." Lance smirked cheekily.

"Shut up." Keith pushed Lance's face away and rolled onto his stomach so Lance was now staring at his back, and his very nice backside.

"I can't help but think you want me to check out your ass." Lance said in a mock official tone.

Keith groaned and laughed into the pillows and bedsheets in reply.

An anvil had been taken off his chest and shoulders and he felt like he was breathing in air for the first time in weeks.

They sat in companionable silence while Lance rubbed circles into Keith's back. The hard muscle clenched and unclenched under his ministrations and Lance finally felt the knot of anxiety in his stomach unwind. He felt like a taut rubber band being loosened.

"So...we're boyfriends now right?" Lance asked after an indiscriminate amount of time, anxiety spiking again sharply.

"Yes you idiot." Keith mumbled into the bed.

"Good...good." Lance breathed out again.

"Keith...you said you got scholarships for your...situation..?"

"Not...Not right now? Can we talk about it...later."

"Yea of course." Lance assured, moving to lie next to Keith. Keith turned to him and they faced each other on their sides, laughing because their heads were at the bottom of the bed and thus had no support.

"Can we...can we go to your apartment? I really hate it here."

"Sure thing buddy!" Lance hopped up quickly, a strange look passing on his face before it was replaced with a huge smile. He pulled Keith up too and they made their way toward the door.

"Buddy?"

"Shut up!"

They pushed each other as Keith reached for the spare helmet that sat by the door. He handed it to Lance who beamed.

"Race you?!" Lance shouted, taking off and tearing through Keith's apartment complex.

"You don't even know where my bike is parked!" Keith shouted back but he was already running after Lance.

He'd always run after Lance.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading!! Comments and feedback is always welcome and greatly appreciated!


	10. Voices Carry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys trigger warning for car accidents this chapter. Sorry for the long break I was working out some personal stuff.

-I'm in the dark, I'd like to read his mind  
But I'm frightened of the things I might find  
Oh, there must be something he's thinking of  
To tear him away-a-ay  
When I tell him that I'm falling in love  
Why does he say-a-a—

Lance tore down the street in his blue beat up Honda Civic. Keith laughed from the passenger seat and turned up the song. Hunk was holding the front headrest in a death grip as Lance took a corner so fast it seemed to defy physics.

Pidge laughed but Shiro looked like he was going to be sick. Not from the g-force but from how worried he was over their safety. It just made Keith laugh harder. This was the first time Keith was in a car going fast that he didn’t feel like he was on the verge of a panic attack.

"Open the window!"

"Sunny on the inside!"

"We're warm in the winter."

"Sunny on the inside!"

Pidge and Lance screamed the lyrics in tandem.

Warm in the Winter by Glass Candy blasted through Lance's new speakers. He'd just gotten them put in and refused to let Hunk drive his Nissan so that he could show them off.

"Lance how fast are you going?" Shiro asked crammed between Pidge and Hunk.

"Only 65!" Lance shouted over the music. The windows were down and night air washed over them. Keith let his hand trail out the window and he smiled, his hair blowing back.

"Eyes on the road!" Pidge shouted and Keith came to attention as Lance swerved harshly to avoid a car that had begun to break in front of them.

The car honked and the whole car let out a breath once they passed the other car and were out of immediate danger.

"Holy fuck we almost died cause you couldn't stop staring at your boyfriend!" Pidge accused.

"Hey hey, we did not almost die." Lance defended, looking to Keith for back up but Keith was just laughing behind his hand.

"We so almost died!" Hunk shouted.

"Alright well it isn't a get together with us unless we almost die." Lance amended.

"If I died to that song I would've been so upset." Pidge grumbled, grabbing their phone from the front console and scrolling through their music.

Underwear by FMBelfast came on and everyone in the car began to nod their heads.

"We come from a place where we count the days." Lance sang as he pulled up to Allura and Shiro's apartment.

"Until nothing! Until nothing! Until nothing!" Allura screamed the lyrics and she ran out of the apartment complex and jumped into the car. There weren't enough seats (there never seemed to be) and so she tried to sit on Shiro in the middle. He pulled her close to him so her back was flush with his front but holding her gave him no purchase to keep them upright.

Lance tore out of the lot so fast it would've given Keith a run for his money if he was on his bike.

Allura laughed loudly, toppling over onto Hunk.

"We're running down the street in our underwear!" They sang together. Lance swerved to avoid another car and Keith kept his head on the swivel for cops. They were definitely over the speed limit.

"Cause nothing, ever, happens here. Because nothing, ever, happens here." Pidge belted.

"Where everyone keeps off the grass! No littering! No loitering! No nothing! No nothing! No nothing!"

"COP!" Keith shouted. The policeman was parked in an alleyway waiting for speeders and Lance slammed on the breaks. They still rushed by above the speed limit but breaking would ensure the cop wouldn't get an accurate read on the radar.

Allura ducked down since there were too many people in the car and sure enough the cop pulled out behind them but didn't turn on his lights.

"Yes!" Keith shouted. That meant the cop hadn't gotten a read on them.

"We aren't home free yet." Shiro said but even he was smiling.

The cop tailed them for another two blocks before turning down another street. Everyone let out a collective breath and the music got turned up again.

"Lance you are by far the worst driver out of all of us." Keith said.

"What?! I'm the best. No one can beat me."

"Um Lance, buddy, hate to break it to you but we have almost died twice just tonight and we almost got pulled over." Hunk said.

"I am ama-" Lance broke off in a yell as he almost missed their turn. He careened around the corner. Allura flew off of Shiro and into Hunk's lap.

"Some people," she said, righting herself, "don't have proper seat belts on." She finished.

"Sorry Princess!" Lance apologized laughing as he pulled into a parking space in front of the ramen noodle restaurant.

They all climbed out and walked into the restaurant, the place was packed as usual.

“Hi for how many?” The hostess greeted.

“For six.” Shiro replied easy.

She seated them after a ten minute wait and then they’re ordering ramen excitedly. Keith being the newbie has no idea what he’s looking at on the menu.

“What does that mean?” He asks Lance shyly, pointing to one of the words written in Japanese.

“That’s tonkotsu, it means it’s pork. The other one is tori and that means it’s chicken.”

Keith nodded seriously and moved to review his options again now that he knew what those two words meant.

“Come on Keith, Shiro is your best friend you should know this stuff.” Lance joked.

Keith laughed it off and they all put in their orders. Laughter bubbled from their table and everyone was enjoying themselves.

“I have a question.” Pidge said to their waiter as she came back. Keith was zoned out though. He stared hard at the table top and menu, everyone’s voices growing faint in his ears.

‘We have a couple questions kid,’

‘Questions.’

He was suddenly back in that police station again, a small kid sitting on a chair whose feet didn’t touch the ground.

The combination of Lance’s driving and Pidge’s familiar words must have finally gotten to him and Keith was spiraling.

“-eith. Keith. Keith!”

He snapped his head up to be face to face with Lance.

“You’re zoning buddy. Do you know what you want?”

“Um...”Keith looked at the menu and shouted the first number he saw.

Lance leaned into him and whispered quieter, “Keith you’re shaking. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He lied.

-

Keith and Lance were currently laying on Lance’s bed relaxing in the quiet. It had been a long fun filled night but Lance hadn’t been ready for Keith to head back to his apartment just yet.

“Where do you go?”

“Hm?” Keith’s eyebrows knit together in confusion, not understanding Lance’s question.

“You zone out sometimes....earlier, at the restaurant, you were shaking you know?”

Keith stared hard the Lance’s duvet. It was black with pinpricks of white light on it to represent the stars. He didn’t want to talk about this. At all.

“Just...sometimes...I remember things from a long time ago, when someone says or does something.”

“Like a trigger? Keith why didn’t you tell us? We wouldn’t do those things if you tell us?” Lance had sat up now and the illusion of relaxation was shattered. “Is this part of the ‘situation’ you were talking about earlier. About why you got some scholarships.”

“Yes.” Keith said shakily. “My-my parents died in a car accident when I was younger. Someone just ran a red light. I was in the car but...no one got out or stopped to help us for awhile. I was trapped by the door in the backseat. I couldn’t get out and I was calling for my mom-“  
-  
“Mom! Mom!” Keith didn’t realize what was happening, all of the sudden the car just jolted hard and the airbags deployed. He could see his mother in the passenger seat but she was covered in blood.

He could see his dads face in the rear view mirror in the drivers seat. He was slumped over the airbag and the white plastic was covered in red blood.

Cars pulled around them and the wreckage. Keith couldn’t remember the number his mom told him to call in America if they ever got into an accident or had an emergency.

“Mom!!”

He couldn’t get free, his left leg pinned by the metal in the door.

Finally, finally he thought he could hear sirens in the distance and a man was running through traffic to get to them.   
-  
“I barely spoke English at the time and I was little, only about 5. I got put into a home after that but no one ever adopted me because of my...my problems. I don’t know it’s alright.” He trailed off. “I stayed in the system until I was a legal adult and then I put myself through college. Or tried to at least.”

When Keith finally looked up at his boyfriend he had tears in his eyes. “Keith, do you get nightmares?” His voice broke on the last word.

Keith’s face scrunched, Lance knowing without even having been told. “Yea.”

“Do you want to stay here for the night?”

“Yea.”

Lance pulled Keith to his chest and they laid back down, Lance’s fairy lights on above them, soothing the shadows of the room back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed reading!! Comments and feedback is always welcome:)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! Feedback is always welcome and if you want to know when I'll be updating check into my tumblr: bluewire13


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